Not far from the San Diego Zoo exit is a three-minute, half-mile trip through four acres of charming Balboa Park on an antique miniature train. Operated by the zoo, the trip runs daily through Play Days.

The San Diego Zoo is taking spring break very seriously, but in a fun way.

Through April 24, the zoo will be open an hour longer each evening, until 7 p.m. The internationally acclaimed zoo’s “Play Days” offers a packed agenda of entertaining ways to see its inhabitants and even interact with them.

“This will be the best chance for visitors to see specific animals when they are the most active and playful,” said Nat Faith, the zoo’s operation supervisor. “For popular animals, such as the elephants, the activity will be offered multiple times each day so that guests can have the opportunity to learn more about each individual animal.”

These timed activities throughout the day allow visitors to enjoy what Faith calls “play dates” with their favorite critters. He suggested that visitors check the schedule — available at the zoo and online − ahead of time in order to catch the events that intrigue them.

“Guests should plan to arrive early so they don’t miss our opening ceremony,” suggested Faith, coordinator of all things Play Days. “Every morning, when the zoo opens, we will have our costume characters and animal ambassadors kicking off the start to the day.”

The welcoming committee also features some of the zoo’s most colorful birds. Other highlights on the schedule include an elephant pedicure and an introduction to Adhama, the adorable baby hippo. Another popular attraction is the Meerkat Munch Bunch, where guests can watch — and, perhaps, help — those cute mammals catch their usual diet of mealworms and crickets. Yum!

While all of the zoo’s nine animal zones will host activities, the Lost Forest, Elephant Odyssey and Discovery Outpost are “activated zones.” In addition to the timed events, those areas will offer many surprises, including impromptu keeper talks, animal behavior presentations and close encounters with some of the zoo’s residents. Faith points out that all these activities have been carefully crafted by the zookeepers.

For a virtual Play Days experience, participate in the San Diego Zoo’s social media activities: Try to find hidden birds on Twitter; go to

foursquare.com to run for mayor of an active zone; or check Facebook for discounted zoo merchandise. You can also submit photos from your Play Days trip on the zoo’s website, for a chance to win a special tour of the zoo.